Harikrishna, Petrosian in joint lead

November 21, 2004 19:09 IST

Grandmaster P Harikrishna of India and Armenian Grandmaster Petrosian Tigran are leading the table with four points each after the completion of four rounds in the World Junior Chess championship in Kochi on Sunday.

In the fourth round, Harikrishna defeated Tikkanen Hans of Sweden in the Nimzo-Indian defence in 40 moves while on the top board, Petrosian Tigran edged out top seed and GM Berkes Ferenc of Hungary, a former under-18 world champion in a Queens Gambit exchange variation in 40 moves. Petrosian sacrificed his rook for a mating combination, which was fruitful.

Aleekseev, Radoslaw and Paragua Mark with 3.5 points apiece are in the second slot.

India's IM Deepan Chakravarthy, a former Asian Junior champion, shocked GM Timur Gareyev of Uzbekistan in Sicilian Defence in 30 moves, while GM Koneru Humpy of India, who suffered a loss in the third round, defeated South African Johannes Manyedi in Nimzo-Indian defence in 32 moves.

In the World Girls Under-20 championship, simultaneously being played here, four players -- Zhang Jilin of China, WGM Paehtz Elisabeth of Germany, Majdan Joanna of Poland and WGM Ushenina Anna of Ukraine -- are leading with 3.5 points each after four rounds.

On the top board, Majdana Joanna, seeded 12th here, held fourth seed Ushenina in a French Defence Tarrash variation in 60 moves, while on board two, Zhang Jilin defeated WFM N Vinuthna of India in a Sicilian closed variation in 57 moves.

In another game, Motoc Alina of Romania lost to WGM Paehtz Elisabeth in 58 moves. Top seed Korbut Ekaterina of Russia had to be satisfied with a draw against Malyasia's WFM Siti Zulaikha in 58 moves.

Fifteen-year old Meenu Rajendran of India, who had shocked top seed Korbut in the second round with a draw, lost to Aketayeva Dana of Kazakhstan in a Ruy Lopez exchange variation, while in an all-India affair, J E Kavitha held teammate WIM Eesha Karavade to a tame draw.